Just in Case
by recklesslove
Summary: A missing scene from In the Time of My Dying.


Just in Case

I don't own "Supernatural" in any way. For those of you reading "Calling You", I am working on Chapter 5 in between juggling all the academics and socials that come with college, but after watching the season premiere last night there were just some little scenes I had to write, which is where this came from. It takes place from after Dean has told Sam over the Ouija board that a Reaper is after him.

"I'm going to find a way to save you," Sam vowed, staring from the Ouija board in front of him to Dean's still form on the hospital bed. Across from him, Dean gazed sadly on his little brother, watching as Sam fought back tears, hugging his arms to his chest in a useless attempt at comfort. "I'm not letting you die Dean."

"Sammy…" Sighing softly, Dean ran a finger lightly over the board, then a soft sad smile touched at the corners of his mouth as he grabbed for the triangle sitting between him and Sam. Moving slowly, he made one letter after another. S-A-M-M-Y.

A strangled sob tore itself out of Sam's throat, and he hung his head, laying a hand on the board. Tears streamed from Sam's eyes as his shoulders shook, that one word enough to bring him to his knees. But Dean didn't stop, continuing to spell.

H-E-Y B-I-T-C-H

Laughing through his tears, Sam nodded vehemently, refusing to raise a hand from the board to wipe his eyes. "Yeah jerk? I'm listening."

Raising his eyes to meet Sam's, Dean continued to spell. "Just in case, Sammy, just in case," Dean whispered softly as he finished his words.

L-U-V U

"Oh god, Dean…" Curling up on himself, Sam sobbed, hugging his knees to his chest as his entire body convulsed with hours of held-in anguish. Moving over to Sam's side, Dean held a hand above his shoulder, wishing more than anything that he could hold Sam, make the pain stop. But as tears streamed from his eyes, Dean could do nothing but hover, hoping his presence would do something.

"I love you too, Dean, I love you too, more than anything," Sam choked out. "Please don't leave me."

"I'm trying little brother, I'm trying," Dean whispered, as Sam rocked back and forth, seemingly alone, a broken man weeping on a hospital floor.

When Dean suddenly opened his eyes, Sam's first reaction was complete unadulterated joy, his heart suddenly remembering how to beat again. But as Dean gasped for air, Sam screamed for help, being shoved back against a wall as doctors rushed in to take over.

And then suddenly, gloriously, the doctors stepped back, and the tubes were gone from Dean's mouth, and he was looking at Sam with those Dean eyes, and Sam rushed forward to throw himself at Dean, hugging him as tightly as he dared, burying his face in his big brother's shoulder and sobbing so hard he almost couldn't breathe.

"Hey Sammy, it's ok, it's ok," Dean said softly, his voice hoarse and rough from the tubes, but still Dean's voice, and just that sound was enough to slow Sam's tears, enough to keep him breathing safely.

"Dean, I just…you're ok, you're ok." Raising his head, but still keeping a firm hold on Dean, Sam met Dean's eyes, and Dean's eyes instantly filled as he was met by such love that he almost couldn't stand it. It was so achingly raw and Sam looked so much like the five-year-old little brother who used to only eat Lucky Charms and couldn't go to sleep until Dean read to him using all the character voices he had crafted himself "Do you remember anything?"

"No, not a thing." At these words, Sam's eyes clouded over with such disappointment Dean knew he would do anything to take that away. "Why? Sammy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sam insisted softly, perching on the edge of Dean's bed, watching intently as doctors scurried around, making notations and adjusting machines and finally leaving the room.

"Sammy, don't lie to me. What's going on?" Nudging Sam with his uninjured arm, Dean offered up his best grin. "You're an even worse liar when you haven't slept." The grin flew off Dean's face as Sam's eyes watered again.

"We…we had a conversation while you were out of it…your spirit…over an Ouija board," Sam admitted, gesturing to the board lying on the floor near the foot of the bed. "I just hoped you would remember it, that's all."

"Well we'll just have to recreate that conversation then, won't we?" Dean said assuredly, sitting up slowly in the bed.

"It was extremely chick flicky-" Sam started, but Dean cut him off.

"Go get the board, Samuel." Letting out a soft laugh, Sam obeyed, grabbing the board and laying it across Dean's legs. "We'll just…well ok, I don't know how we can recreate something I don't remember, but you spell something…or tell me or something, I don't…" But as soon as both boys lay a hand on the board, memories flashed through Dean's brain.

_Standing outside his hospital room, Sam leaning heavily against the door frame, looking as if his legs would collapse and his heart would break as the doctors tried to resuscitate Dean._

_Sam standing next to Dean's hospital bed in the dark, looking down at him with tears in his eyes, saying in a trembling voice, "We were just starting to be brothers again."_

_And finally…finally…_

"I do know how to spell love, you know," Dean said with a grin, feeling his cheeks redden slightly at the chick flick memory, letting his eyes stray down to the hospital band on his arm. "I was just trying to save time. Just…" Taking a deep breath, Dean raised his face to meet Sam's, blinking heavily at the sight of Sam's tears trickling down to meet his joyful grin. "Just in case."

"Well, just in case has come and gone," Sam said softly, reaching down to grab Dean's hand and hold on tight, through the doctor's tests and the good news. "Because neither of us are going anywhere."


End file.
